Real Madrid paid Liverpool a reported 10m euros (£8.4m) for Alexander-Arnold, releasing him from his contract on 1 June 2025, a month early.

But an eagerly awaited debut campaign never reached the heights many expected.

Two separate injuries affected him. A hamstring issue last September sidelined him for seven weeks, while a thigh problem in December kept him out for a further two months.

That denied Alexander-Arnold the sustained run of games needed to build momentum and a connection with supporters.

Overall, he featured in 35 of Real Madrid’s 62 matches across all competitions last season, but was not first choice, starting 27 times as he shared the right-back role with club legend Dani Carvajal.

However, the defensive doubts that plagued him throughout his Liverpool career remained part of the conversation in Madrid – even as his quality in possession continued to stand out.

He showed glimpses of his undoubted ability, but there was a feeling among some supporters that they had not yet seen enough of Alexander-Arnold to judge his impact.

By the end of a season which had Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa in charge of Real as they failed to win a major trophy, he had begun to show signs of his best form – finishing the campaign strongly before thanking supporters for their backing in a message on social media.

“Madridistas you have welcomed me with open arms.” he wrote. “From the first day I arrived you have had my back. It took me a few months to find rhythm and settle in the new environment but I feel completely at home now.

“I will take a good break and put the work in over the summer. I promise we will bring trophies back to this amazing club next season.”

Big Buck’s, one of the greatest staying hurdlers of all time, has died at the age of 23.

Owned by the late Andy Stewart, he was part of a golden age for trainer Paul Nicholls as he counted Kauto Star, Denman, Master Minded and Neptune Collonges among his stablemates.

Big Buck’s had always been viewed by connections as a potential top-class chaser, however, a fall at the final fence in the 2008 Hennessy Gold Cup saw him revert back to hurdles and he never looked back.

He won what is now the Stayers’ Hurdle a record four times, the Liverpool Hurdle four times and three times he came home in front in the Long Walk Hurdle.

Big Buck’s, who struck up a great relationship with Ruby Walsh, was a fan favourite as he would often hit a flat spot in his races before powering to victory.

Nicholls told the Press Association: “Ability-wise he was probably as good as anything I’ve ever trained, it’s just a shame he couldn’t jump a chase fence.

“He was a wonderful horse for a wonderful owner who deserved to own a great horse like that. Andy enjoyed the whole journey and shared it with everybody.

“The horse had a brilliant life and had a great time with us and then a great time with Mike and Lucy Felton in retirement, but sadly time caught up with him.

“I was very lucky to have him at the same time as Kauto Star, Neptune Collonges, Master Minded and Denman. He was definitely as good as any of them.”

One of the last surviving members of that halcyon period for the Ditcheat handler, Big Buck’s would go on to pass Sir Ken and win a then record 18 straight National Hunt races when reverting to hurdles, an achievement only eclipsed by Altior since.

However, for Nicholls there will always be the question of how high he could have climbed if remaining over the larger obstacles.

“He won the Graded race at Aintree over fences, jumped 18 fences and jumped them 18 different ways and still won,” said Nicholls.

“It made me think he was a certainty in the Hennessy and he was unlucky that day, but he just wasn’t a natural jumper of a fence.

“If Kauto Star hadn’t been about at that time then we probably would persevered over fences and he had the ability to win a Gold Cup. If he had won the Hennessy that day it would have definitely given us a headache and it would have been interesting where he would have ended up.

“But over hurdles he was invincible. Andy said I was bonkers, but going back over hurdles was the best thing we ever did. History tells you how good he was and Cheltenham, Aintree, Newbury, Ascot – if there was a big staying hurdle race, he won them all – all those Grade Ones on the trot, what a horse.”

Big Bucks would become a standing dish on Thursdays at the Cheltenham Festival, with his famous flat spot often sparking nervous gasps from supporters before hitting top gear and surging up the Cheltenham hill under Walsh.

When asked to nominate just one race in Big Bucks’ decorated career littered with so many great triumphs it was his fourth-straight success in the day three feature, when seeing off arguably the deepest field he met, edging out Irish raider Voler La Vedette, that Nicholls remembers most fondly.

“His fourth World Hurdle was the one that sticks out as being very special,” said Nicholls.

“But we had so many great days with such a brilliant horse and we were all very lucky to be associated with him.”

True Love heads the markets for the 2026 renewal of the Prix Maurice de Gheest – live on Sky Sports Racing at 3.40pm.

3.40 Deauville – True Love headlines strong field of 12 in Prix Maurice de Gheest

Today’s feature on Sky Sports Racing takes us to Deauville, where True Love headlines this afternoon’s Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest.

The 1000 Guineas winner was narrowly touched off at the track in last month’s Prix Jean Prat over a mile, with Jersey Stakes winner Thesecretadversary taking out the honours that day. Having won the Cheveley Park Stakes over this distance in September, she clearly has sufficient speed for this test and her versatility will be invaluable in her future career as a broodmare. Wayne Lordan makes the trip to France for the ride, replacing Ryan Moore in the plate.

Stolen Kiss has rapidly improved this year since being dropped back into sprinting trips. The clear improvement also has seen this colt beat last year’s winner, Sajir, on back-to-back occasions as well as finishing a very close fourth in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes. That is probably the best piece of form in the race and although he has to give weight to True Love, he could put it up to her under Alexis Pouchin.

Fresh from a successful Goodwood Festival, Wathnan Racing will be keen to strike again – this time with William Haggas’ Division. This son of Kingman has hit the crossbar a few times this year, finishing second in the Sandy Lane Stakes and then third in the Commonwealth Cup – beaten both times by Venetian Sun. He was a commendable fifth in the July Cup and could easily pop up and win this.

Samangan isn’t dismissed but will have to show more after being beaten last time out by Division and True Love in successive starts, albeit by narrow margins. Take Charge Star represents Johnny Murtagh and enters calculations, having only been beaten by True Love’s conqueror Thesecretadversary by a neck in the aforementioned Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot.

3.05 Deauville – 2000 Guineas third Distant Storm returns

Distant Storm returns to the track after not being seen since May in the Group 3 Prix Daphnis from Deuaville.

Charlie Appleby is bang in form and sends this son of Night Of Thunder to France in search of a first win since September. In the meantime, he was third in a Dewhurst and began this campaign with a third place finish in the 2000 Guineas. The form of the race has worked out well with fifth place Thesecretadversary taking out the Jersey Stakes and Venetian Prince winning the Italian Derby. The mount of Billy Loughnane today closed the gap on Gstaad in the Irish 2000 Guineas and could progress further in the Godolphin blue.

Komorebi was second in the French 2000 Guineas but subsequently disappointed when stepping up in trip for the Prix du Jockey Club, where he finished 10th. Dropping back to the mile looks to be the way to go and if he repeats his performance when last seen over that distance, he’s a big contender.

Campacite was beaten one place into 11th by Komorebi in the French Derby after also chasing him home in April. However, the form with Hawk Mountain on his penultimate start is interesting and a repeat of that would make him a player.

Lord Clover lacked the turn of foot to mount a meaningful challenge in the German 2000 Guineas the last day, but on his prior French form could trouble the judge.

5.01 Chepstow – Crimson Road bids to follow up course and distance success

Crimson Road rounds off the card on Sunday afternoon at Chepstow, looking to follow up the win over course and distance here last month in the Capital Windscreens Supports Chepstow Centenary Celebrations Handicap.

On his fourth start for John and Rhys Flint, he skipped clear inside the final furlong and has been raised 3lb for that success but could easily go in again here.

Pride Of Nepal disappointed last time out at Epsom but was bang in form prior, winning four in a row – including a course and distance success here in June which completed the hat-trick. Carrying top weight today, this Tony Carroll gelding will surely put it up to Crimson Road.